Those of Divine Nature
sribhagavan uvaca
1. abhayam sattvasamsuddhir
jnanayogavyavasthitih
danam danam ca yajnas ca
svadhyayas tapa arjavam
The Blessed Lord said :
(1) Fearlessness, purity of mind, wise apportionment of knowledge and concentration, charity, self-control and sacrifice, study of the scriptures, austerity and uprightness.
In Indian religious symbolism, the distinction between the devas, the shining ones and the asuras, the titans, the children of darkness is an ancient one. In the Rg. Veda we have the struggle between the gods and their dark opponents. The Ramayana represents a similar conflict between the representatives of high culture and those of unbridled egoism. M.B. tells us of the struggle between the Pandavas, who are devotees of dharma, of law and justice, and the Kauravas who are lovers of power. Historically, mankind remains remarkably true to type, and we have today as in the period of the M.B. some men who are divinely good, some who are diabolically fallen and some who are damnably indifferent. These are the possible developments of men who are more or less like ourselves. The devas and the asuras are both born of Prajapati. Chandogva Up., I, 2, I.
2. ahimsa satyam akrodhas
tyagah santir apaisunam daya
bhutesv aloluptvam
mardavam hrir acapalam any
(2) Non-violence, truth, freedom from anger, renunciation, tranquillity, aversion to fault finding, compassion to living beings, freedom from cQvetousness, gentleness, modesty and steadiness (absence of fickleness).
3. tejah ksama dhrtih Saucam
adroho na 'timanita
bhavanti samadam daivim
abhijatasya bharata
(3) Vigour, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, freedom from malice and excessive pride these, 0 Pandava (Arjuna), are the endowments of him who is born with the divine nature. The human race is not divided into the kingdom of Ormuzd and the kingdom of Ahriman. In each man are these two kingdoms of light and of darkness.
The teacher has set forth the distinctive qualities of those who are seeking for the divine perfection. Now he states the qualities of those who aim at power, glory and easy life. The distinction is neither exclusive nor comprehensive. Many beings partake of the natures of both. M.B. says: "Nothing is wholly good or wholly evil.[1]
The Demoniac
4. dambho darpo 'timanas` ca
krodhah parusyam eva ca
ajnanam ca ' bhijatasya
partha sampadam asurim
4) Ostentation, arrogance, excessive pride, anger, as also harshness and ignorance, these, 0 Partha (Arjuna), are the endowments of him who is born with the demoniac nature.
Their Respective Results
5. daivi sampad vimoksaya
nibandhaya 'surf mata
ma sucah sampadam daivim
abhijato 'si pandava
(5) The divine endowments are said to make for deliverance and the demoniac for bondage. Grieve not, 0 Pandava (Arjuna), thou art born with the divine endowments (for a divine destiny). The traditional virtues of a devout Hindu are brought together as indicating a "godly" state of life. The asuras are clever and energetic but suffer from an exaggerated egoism and have no moral scruples or spiritual aims.
The Nature, of the Demoniac
6. dvau bhitasargau loke
'smin daiva asura eva ca
daivo vistarasah prokta
asuram partha me srnu
(6) There are two types of beings created in the world the divine and the demoniac. The divine have been described at length. Hear from me, 0 Partha (Arjuna), about the demoniac. See Brhadaran.yaka Up., I, 3, I.
